This invention relates to a portable tool for use primarily in the field of building (homes, offices and the like) repair, remodeling and construction. Specifically, the invention relates to a tool commonly referred to as a fish tape used to add electrical circuits or other wiring to inaccessible areas within, for example, an interior or exterior wall of the building structure. Optional gripper jaws permit the tool to be used for retrieval of relatively small items from other inaccessible areas as well.
A preferred method for adding electrical circuits or other wiring is to run a flexible steel wire (also known as a fish tape) behind walls and through conduits until the tape stretches from the introduction point to the destination point for the new wiring. The wiring to be added is subsequently attached to the end of the fish tape and the fish tape is withdrawn back through the space to thereby pull the new wiring into position. This can be a difficult and time-consuming job due to the inability of the worker to see into the walls or closed spaces through which the tape must pass, and the fact that the path may include several turns to navigate or to otherwise bypass obstructions.